The Saints Guy vacation is officially over. After being gone for 30 days ensuring my divorce to a Latin waitress named Veronika Consuela from Cabo San Lucas officially went through (it was the only way the Saints Babe would let me back into the Saints Mansion), it’s high time The Saints Guy gets back into full swing.
So you can imagine my shock when I got a phone call from Sly and a text from Dubya literally seconds from each other heralding that TE Jeremy Shockey would be in a Saints jersey next season. You can also imagine my ensuing jubilation.
(Side note: Blast fax kudos to both Sly and Dubya for being on top of their respective games. I got the call/text before it was broken on the Tirico/Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio. Don’t ever doubt the skills of guys named Sly and Dubya. ((Side side note: Okay, maybe not EVERY guy named Dubya, but mine’s great.)))
The official trade is Jeremy Shockey to the Saints and New Orleans’ second and fifth round picks to the Giants in 2009 (not the aforementioned Chili’s Gift Card, but man, it sure feels like it). The Saints had been trying to get a deal for Shockey to happen since the winter time, and it seems almost laughable that New York/Jersey held on this long for a couple of draft picks.
It's a good trade for both sides. The Saints get a tight end with tremendous talent, while the Giants unload a locker room cancer who was miffed that his team could win a Super Bowl without him.
Now, before you place me on the cross of hypocrisy after my NBA column where I made it clear how I feel about star head cases (a category that Shockey clearly falls into), let me explain: There’s a significant difference between the damage NFL head cases can do compared to NBA head cases. The way the two contracts are set up are drastically different. The most recent and devastating head case case for the NFL was T.O. four seasons ago. And even then, the Eagle moved on by releasing him. Damage was done, but not on a catastrophic level.
(Side note: I know I’m reaching. It’s tough to defend my point when T.O. had the Eagles in the Super Bowl one year and then a playoff afterthought the following three. But I stand by my contracts point between the NFL and NBA and how they handcuff organizations far more in one than the other. I’m done talking about this.)
Shockey by himself won’t be able to do much damage to the program, on the field or off; so it’s a tremendous pickup for New Orleans. Saints coach Sean Payton was a Giants assistant when Shockey was drafted so the two are familiar with each other. Shockey should thrive in a system with a talented quarterback in Drew Brees that loves throwing to the tight ends. The Saints had rolled the dice by signing Eric Johnson at tight end last year who was supposed to have soft hands, and 48 catches later in a Saints uniform with only two touchdowns, it doesn’t seem like it was a great gamble. Now Shockey pretty much solidifies the offense and makes the Saints seem (gulp) unstoppable.
I want to make one last point: it’s very very refreshing to see trades like this and the Jonathan Vilma deal during the offseason. For so many years, the summers were just another “going through the motions” type of period for New Orleans. Now we know what it’s like to have a front office that has a clue.
And Sly summed it up best for me on the phone: "I know he was a problem for the Giants, but Drew Brees isn't going to put up with his
Indeed, it’s Christmas in July for Saints fans. Seriously, Santa just dropped off the 2008 NFC South Trophy at the Mansion. I just hope it doesn’t go to Ms. Consuela in the divorce.
